MPA/Law Student Alexander Dreussi Selected for Bertha Morton Scholarship Award

April 16, 2021

Alex DreussiAlex Dreussi, a student in the Master of Public Administration program and second-year law student in the Alexander Blewett III School of Law, was awarded the Bertha Morton Scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year. This scholarship award places Dreussi among the top five percent of the University’s graduate students in academic performance, research and creative activities.

Dreussi was nominated for the award by the Department of Public Administration and Policy.

“Not only is he passionate about service, but Alex also serves as a leader for our students in his research and writing skills,” said MPA director Dr. Sara Rinfret. “He was selected as a research assistant for a grant-funded project in our department. This is a rare opportunity only reserved for top students.”

Alongside public administration faculty, Dreussi researched ethics codes in tribal governments, looking into whether they were primarily reactive statements forbidding certain activities or contained more aspirational statements. He presented a paper on his findings at the 2020 Pacific Northwest Political Science Association meeting.

“No studies of the sort had been conducted in Montana before, so it was interesting to get to assist with the research on the subject,” said Dreussi. “It was also cool because as law students we have a whole course dedicated to our professional responsibility, and so much of both the course and the research boils down to conflicts of interest. Getting to see multiple facets of these issues has been interesting.”

The Bertha Morton Scholarship will provide Dreussi with $3,000 toward 2021-2022 academic costs.

“This award allows me to focus more on what I love about law and public administration and less on my finances,” he said. “Pursuing my passion with less stress while also receiving recognition for my accomplishments has been a wonderful experience.” 

For more information about the Bertha Morton Scholarship, see the Graduate School’s Fellowships/Scholarships page.